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Topic: How cold is too cold for removals?? (Read 6213 times)

Hey all, Just a quick question or advice. Got a call from a salvage yard, junk removal guy about removing a "box" of bees that were in the way. Sounds like it would be an easy way to get some free bees, Wrong. The box that he was refering to was an old tool box. It has been in the 30's to 40's most of the week but I dont want to break up the colony and freeze them by opening the box. He has agreed to let me take the box home but wants it back as soon as possible. I can't see where there would be anything of value in it, since the bees have moved in and covered everything with wax and properlis but anyway, to get to my point. How cold is too cold to remove them and put them in a proper home? Any input would be great. Someone told me to charge for the removal. How much are you to charge for removals? I thought that you did it for the free bees. Thanks and Have a good day! Marcus

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

Marcus, I would want the temps to be no lower than 45F. Make sure you give them frames with brood if there is any, frames with bee bread and some honey so they won't starve. Depending on what's in the tool box, bee and comb wise, carefully consider what you will use to house them, be it a medium, deep or nuc. You don't want them to have too much space as they will have trouble keeping warm. Hope this helps, if you have other questions, ask away. As for as price, does the guy think there will be a charge? He may not want to pay much or anything if he thinks he can get it done for free. How badly do you want to do this one? If it takes you say 3 hrs to do, I would say a fair price would be in the $125.00 -$150.00 range. If its complicated, charge more/ You could also tell him you'll charge say $125.00 for the first 3 hrs and whatever you want an hr after that, $25.00, $50.00. This is something you will just have to work out for yourself. Treat yourself and the guy fairly, and you both win.

Thanks for the info, helped alot. I will try to barter a trade for the toolbox. I dont want to freeze the girls because we are not going to be in the 50's to 70 range for some time now. Thanks again, Marcus

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

If it's not warm enough to feed them syrup to keep them alive then it's too early in the season to have them survive. You can, of course, try to tie the honey into frames, but that has never worked well in my experience. Of course it would be best if it's warm enough for them to fly or every bee that tries to fly off the combs will crash and freeze.

If the bees aren't flying it's to cold. I also wouldn't do a removal if the temps weren't at least 65F / 18 C. They should have been in that range for a few days and expected to stay in that range or warmer for a few days also.

Sincerely,Brendhan

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The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

I've gotten a few requests for removal already this year too. I have been telling them late March/ early April depending on the weather. They all understand. I would tell this guy the same and that you will return the tool box then. These bees didn't just move into this tool box, they have obviously been there for a while. A couple more months shouldn't be an issue.

Charging is your call. You can use it as part of the negotiations. "If I remove them now the cost is $$$$ since the chances of them surviving is greatly reduced. If you let me wait until Spring it will be much less (or free)"

I seemed to get at least one or two people contacting me in October, in a panic, to remove bees that have been there for months. I tell them if they had contacting me when they first moved in, the removal would have been possible, but their procrastination has now made it not possible until Spring. It amazes me how the bees can be there for months, but when they finally decide to do something, it then becomes an emergency.

let us know how it goes.

Rob...

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"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison

Some people don't want to wait or can't wait, I assumed this guy fell into one of those categories. Let me say however that I do agree with you guys about waiting to it warms, I believe that is best, but Marcus did ask what's the coldest temp you could do a cut-out, so there went my .02.

last year, i did one in February. it was a rare warm day. about 70 degrees. problem was that the temp dropped the next day and it rained for a week. i lost the hive, although i believe many of the workers integrated into other hives. they were easy to spot as they were much darker. it was not a matter of feeding. i got plenty of the honey out of the hive. i never did know if i got the queen.

if you want the bees to have the best chance, wait until it's warmer. i only did that one to save them from the RAID can. the guy wanted them out NOW!

i will continue to do it for free until i have the bees that i can use. after that, i don't know that i'll do it at all. maybe by then i'll have enough experience to mentor some others in doing hive removal.

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

:evil:Free is nice but when I go too the store they won't let me have products without paying for them! Is your GAS free? insurance free? free truck?I like bees but also a warm house and a few other amenities!bob evans

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

Went to the location today, and it was the get them out by the weekend or he was going to kill them. I think that this is going to be an easy one, if there is such a thing. He let me have the tool box to take home until I can get them removed. This hive has been there for sometime. The tool box was full of bees and not happy to be messed with. I used a roll of screen to wrap around the box and a roll of duct tape to secure it. I got it set up and out of the elements. Just hope that my luck runs on and they make it to Spring. I was reading Understudy's post about the bees in the cooler, these were in a situation that was about as bad. In the back of an old box truck that had caved in on them while they were living in an old wood tool box. If they can make it through all of that they will really like the nice hive that I built for them. Thanks for all of the information and advice, Marcus

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

Might this bee the time for some of us to make a full depth or two medium boxes like an ob hive to set up in a basement or something. The bottom opening closed with a screen and maybe a shim top closed up with the exception of a tube running outside?When warmer weather returns,close off the tube ,move it outside and put a conventional top on?Just a thought,never tried something like this.

They made it to Spring and are now living in a double deep hive and doing well. They are tough little ladies. Found the queen on the second chunk of comb that I pulled out. There was enough comb to fill 8 deep frames, not alot of honey left when I got to them but they are alive. As far as the "free hives" that I have had sent my way, this one was the most unique. Marc

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try." So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin. If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it. (unknown)

just wondering. i did a cut out on sat 7/19/08 and hopeing they will build up enough for winter hoping for a good golden rod flow in the fall . i did get the queen and some brood but not a lot of the workers.

I did one last week, as well. Kind of darned if you do darned if you don't. I hope that they make it as well. They had 6 frames of brood and 4 frames of honey. They were a little black bee with an attitude. Looked like a Russian but a little different. Yes, I hope that the Goldenrod flow is a big one. I have several nucs that need it. If not, look out Sams Club and the sugar isle. Good Luck, Marc

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

I have a swarm to remove, in the morning. I hate to take one this late in the season but.... I have a nuc that is behind on numbers so if they are still there, I will combind them and hope for the best. Yes, feed, feed , feed. If I want the nuc to make it past Winter, I will have to feed it. What is a few more mouths to feed?? Asters are blooming like crazy and Goldenrod is starting to come around. Maybe it will work out. Good Luck, Marc

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

I did one last week, as well. Kind of darned if you do darned if you don't. I hope that they make it as well. They had 6 frames of brood and 4 frames of honey. They were a little black bee with an attitude. Looked like a Russian but a little different. Yes, I hope that the Goldenrod flow is a big one. I have several nucs that need it. If not, look out Sams Club and the sugar isle. Good Luck, Marc

Soldi black as in Black German or blackish with gray stripes as in Causcasian?

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Life is a school. What have you learned? :brian: The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Brian, They are more solid black than striped with gray and are very hot. Of course I would be too, if someone was trying to force me into a house that I did not live in. They are smaller than most of the bees that are in my yards but dynamite comes in small packages too!!!! Marc

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" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"

Brian, They are more solid black than striped with gray and are very hot. Of course I would be too, if someone was trying to force me into a house that I did not live in. They are smaller than most of the bees that are in my yards but dynamite comes in small packages too!!!! Marc

My greatgrandfather had black german bees, my father hated them so bad because they were so always so hot and hard to work, didn't build up well due to agressiveness, that he hived a large Italian swarm into the black german hive. Lots of dead bees but the remaining italians lived to thrive. His grandfather, though, was mad as a wet hen as he had brought that particular hive out to Olympia from Pennsylvania when he moved west is the early 1900s. Small, black, and hot is the perfect description of black german bees.

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Life is a school. What have you learned? :brian: The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!